Hairbrush



March 9, 1965 M. M. WIRE HAIRBRUSH Filed Oct. 23, 1965 60 2 :7?0oooo/oo/ooo Y ,i lIlllllllll//IIIIIIIIA United States Patent 3,172,139HAIRBRUSH Marvin M. Wire, Hollywood Hills, Calif. (R0. Box 75467, LosAngeles, Calif.) Filed Oct. 23, 1963, Ser. No. 318,347 9 Claims. (Cl.15--160) This invention relates to a hairbrush incorporating means forcleaning the hairbrush when it becomes clogged or matted with hairs, andis particularly concerned with a hairbrush having a cleaning elementwhich nests into the brush in non-interfering relation during ordinaryuse of the brush, but when desired, is readily manipulated to removeloose hairs from the brush.

A hairbrush is ordinarily stroked in a sidewise direction when brushingthe hair and consequently hair collected by the bristles of the brushare generally arranged transversely of the brush. If one attempts toclean a hairbrush by means of a comb, the comb is usually 4moved throughthe brush longitudinally of the brush. Since the comb does not catch allthe hairs at the first pass of the comb, the hairs that it does notcatch are oriented longitudinally and therefore are not caught by thecomb in the next pass of the same.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a hairbrushincorporating a cleaning element which is designed to pick up and removesubstantially all of the loose hairs held by the bristles of the brushin a single pass of the cleaning element.

Another object is to provide a hairbrush of the aforementioned typewherein the cleaning portion of the cleaning element incorporatedtherewith has a plurality of tines or prongs which normally fit betweenthe rows of bristles of the brush but are movable through the rows ofbristles to sweep and pull the loose hairs from the bristles; the tineshaving a design or configuration such that when the cleaning element isreturned to its normal position on the brush, the tines spread andseparate the rows of bristles on opposite sides of the respective tinesand thus eliminate interference by the bristles to the movement of thetines. v

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the hairbrush isprovided with a cleaning element having a handle and a plurality ofprongs or tines. The handle portion of the brush is recessed to receivethe handle of the cleaning element, and the prongs of the cleaningelement are seated in grooves formed in the body member of such a depthas to normally mount the prongs with their exposed faces flush with thecontiguous surface of the body member. Hence, in the inoperativeposition of the cleaning element, the latter in effect, becomes a partof the body member of the brush, the handle of the forked cleaningelement becoming a part of the handle of the brush. As the prongs of thecleaning element of the instant hairbrush are nested within the groovesin the body member of the hairbrush, they do not present sharp edgeswhich might injure a persons scalp.

The invention will be more clearly understood by the description belowof a preferred embodiment of the invention, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. l is a plan view of the hairbrush of the invention, showing thecleaning element or fork in the inoperative nested position within thehairbrush;

FIG. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the forked cleaningelement in the position after it has been moved away from the hairbrushfor removal of hairs from the brush;

FIG. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. S is a front end view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a sectional detail taken online 6-6 of FIG. l;

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FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the brush structure showingthe grooves for receiving the pivot pin of the cleaning fork; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the insert which is received within thebrush handle to lock the fork in position on the brush.

The hairbrush 10 of the present invention, referring now to thedrawings, comprises a pivotally mounted multi-tined or fork-shapedcleaning element 12 arranged to be moved into and out of engagement withthe hairbrush. Although the hairbrush 10 and the cleaning element 12 canbe constructed of any suitable material, in preferred practice, thehairbrush is formed of a plastic material and the cleaning element of asuitable metal, such as stainless steel.

The hairbrush 10 comprises a body or base portion 14 having a handle 16integrally formed therewith. The inner surface of the base portion 14 isformed with a plurality of parallel rows of cavities 18, each of suchcavities having mounted therein, by conventional means, a plurality ofbristles indicated at 2li. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 of thedrawing, there are tive parallel rows of such cavities 18, mounting fiveparallel rows of the bristles, the central row of bristles beingrepresentedl by numeral 22, the two rows adjacent to the center rowbeing represented by the numeral 24, and the two outermost rows ofbristles indicated by numeral 26. If desired, the working face of thebrush can be given a rounded configuration, as best shown in FIG. 5 ofthe drawing, by making the central row 22 of bristles relatively long,and the two adjacent flanking rows 24 somewhat shorter, and by incliningthe two outermost rows of bristles 26 outwardly.

The inner surface of the body or base portion 14 of the hairbrush isformed with a recess 28 adapted to receive the tined portion 3l? of theforked cleaning element 12 and such recess includes a plurality ofV-shaped parallel grooves 32 disposed between adjacent rows of thebristles, shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing as four in number.

The handle 16 of the brush is wedge-shaped as shown in FIG. 2, andinclines upwardly from the inner end of the handle to the outer endthereof for purposes of rigidity and ease off handling. The handle 16 isformed with -a central slot 34 which extends substantially the entirelength of the handle. Extending along each of the side walls of .theslot 34 is .a longitudinally extending groove 36. 'Ihe inner ends of thegrooves 36 terminate in a rounded end wall 38, as best seen in FIG. 7,disposed closely adjacent a downwardly curved shoulder element 40 of thebase portion 14 of the brush.

A tapered insert 42 is provided for insertion into the slot 34 of thebrush handle 16. The insert 42 is formed with a pair of oppositelydirected longitudinally extending lugs 44 along the outer edges thereof,adapted to be slideably received by the grooves 36. It will be notedthat such lugs have extended portions 46 terminating in a pair orfcurved socket-like members 48. The insert 42 is positioned in .the slot34 by sliding the lugs 44 of the insert into the grooves 36 until thetop and bottom edges of the members 48 at the inner ends of the lugs 44engage with the upper and lower edges of the rounded end walls 38,formed at the ends of the grooves 36. When vthis position of the insertis attained, the insert is received entirely within the slot 34 of thebrush handle 16, and in effect, forms an integrated part of the handle16. It will be seen that when the insert is so positioned in the handle,the end walls 38 and the socket-like members 48 form bearings Sil forthe opposite ends of a pivot pm 52 of the forked cleaning element 12,more fully described hereinafter.

The one surface of the insert is so formed as to fair into thecontiguous surfaces of the handle 16 at opposite sides ot the slot 34 sothat an unbroken com- E posite surface is provided at the inner side ofthc handle once the insert is mounted in the slot 34. The insert is ofsuch a thickness that the other exposed surface is set back from thecontiguous surfaces of the handle, as best seen in FIG. 4 of thedrawing, to thus form a recess 54 extending lengthwise of the handle 16.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the forked cleaningelement 12 comprises the tined portion 30, a hub section 56 and a handle58. The pivot pin 52 may be integrally formed with the hub section S6 ofthe cleaning element and comprises two outwardly extending pin elementswhich are received in the bearings t). The pivot pin 52 and the bearings50, as should now be seen, pivotally support the cleaning element on thebrush and permit arcuate movement of the tined portion through the rowsof bristles of the brush.

The tined portion 30 of the cleaning element 12 comprises a plurality,shown as four in number in FIG. 1, of spaced parallel tines or prongs60. Such tines or prongs preferably have a V-shaped cross sectionalconfiguration, as best shown in FIG. 6, for purposes described morefully hereinafter. When the cleaning element 12 is moved to theinoperative or storage position, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the hub section56 of the cleaning element is received within the recess 2S and thetines or prongs 60 nest or seat within the V-shaped parallel grooves 32.The recess 28 and grooves 32 are of such a depri that the exposedsurfaces of the section 56 and the prongs 60 when received within theformer, are fiush with the contiguous surfaces of the body portion 14 ofthe brush. Also, when the cleaning element is in the inoperativeposition, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the handle 58 thereof is receivedwithin the recess S4 provided in the handle 16` of the brush as abovedescribed. Hence the handle 58 of the cleaning element 12 is nestedcompletely within the brush handle in that its exposed surface is flushwith the surface of the handle 16 at opposite sides of the recess 54.Thus, in the nested, inoperative position of the cleaning element, allof the surfaces of the cleaning element are confined entirely within thebrush. As the prongs 60 are so confined, there is no danger of injury tothe scalp of the user as the brush is moved over the head in the normaluse of the brush.

To assemble the embodiment of the brush illustrated, the body element 14is laid fiat and the cleaning element 12 is extended through the slot 34of the handle 16 to bring the opposite ends of the pivot pin 52 into theopposite grooves 36 of the slot 34 at a point adjacent the end of thebrush handle, after which the cleaning element is moved forward untilthe opposite ends of the pin are engaged with the end walls 33 of thegrooves 36. The insert 42 is then positioned and fixed within the brushhandle by first placing a bonding material or adhesive on the surfacesof the lugs 44 or walls of the slot 34 or both, before the lugs 44 areslideably moved into the grooves 36, to a position in which thesocket-like members 48 abut the pin S2.

After a period of use of the brush of the present invention, since thebrush is stroked through the hair transversely to the longitudinal rowof bristles, hairs loosened from the head of the user, and indicated bynumeral 66 in FIG. 3, are oriented in a generally tranverse arrangementrelative to the rows of bristles. Thus, when the cleaning element 12 ispivoted from the inoperative position shown in FIG. 2 to that shown inFIGS. 3 and 5, the longitudinally extending prongs 60 of the cleaningelement 12 are lifted in parallel paths from their normal positionsbetween adjacent rows of bristles and the loose hairs 66 are disengagedfrom the bristles. In this manner, the loose hairs are thus lifted bythe prongs from the bristles and the loose hairs are readily removedfrom the brush in but a single pass of the cleaning element. In thisconnection, the hub portion 56vof the cleaning element is preferablyprovided with a shoulder 63 which engages an adjacent downwardlydirected shoulder at the lower end of the base portion of the brush toserve as a means to limit pivotal motion of the cleaning element 12 toan 4angular position relative Ito the brush in which the prongs arespaced outwardly of the bristles 20.

After the loose hair has been removed from the cleaning element 12, theelement is then pivotally moved to its normal or storage position on thebush. During this movement of the cleaning element, the V-shaped crosssectional configuration of the prongs 60 aids in properly spreading theadjacent rows of bristles on opposite sides of the respective prongs andthus eliminates possible interference of the bristles to the returnmovement of the prongs. In this manner the prongs are again received inthe confining V-shaped grooves 32 of the base portion of the brushwithout bending the bristles down against the base portion ofthe brush.

As the metallic cleaning element 12 completely nests within the recess28, grooves 32 and recess 54, the cleaning element reinforces the bodyof the brush particularly in the region of the greatest stress, that is,the interconnection between the base or body portion of the brush andthe handle 15. In fact, the brush of the present invention is quitestrong and the cleaning element aids in giving to the brush a longservice life.

Although some latch element can be provided for holding the cleaningelement in its nested position in the body of the brush, it has beenfound that a slight friction fit between the cleaning element 12 and thevarious recess formations receiving the cleaning element is sufficientto hold the cleaning element 12in position. In fact, the mere graspingof the handle 16 of the brush will hold the handle 5S of the cleaningelement 12 against accidental pivotal movement during normal use of thebrush. To facilitate pivotal movement of the cleaning element from itsstorage position, it is now preferred to provide a recess 72 at theouter end of the insert to receive the thumb or finger of the user. Oncethe thumb or finger has been inserted into the recess 72, it isrelatively easy to move the handle 58 to complete the bristle-cleaningoperation. v

It will be understood that although the combined hairbrush and cleaningelement of the invention has been illustrated as formed of three parts,including the insert 42, if desired, the brush 10, including the handleportion thereof, can be formed of one solid piece, and the cleaningelement 12 pivotally mounted on the brush in any suitable manner.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the invention provides ahairbrush-cleaning element combination which has a number of advantages,including simplicity of construction, ruggedness, freedom from danger ofinjury when using the brush due to the nesting of the cleaning elemententirely within the body of the brush, and effectiveness in removingloose hairs from the brush in but a single pass of the cleaning element.

While I have described a particular embodiment of the invention forpurposes of illustration, it will be understood that the invention isnot to be taken as limited, except bythe scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A combined hairbrush and brush cleaner comprising a hairbrush havinga base portion and a handle portion, a plurality of spaced parallel rowsof bristles mounted in the base portion of said brush, a fork-'shapedcleaning element pivotally mounted on said brush intermediate the endsthereof, said cleaning element having a plurality of spaced parallelprongs and being disposed adjacent the front of the hase portion of saidbrush with said prongs disposed between and parallel to adjacent rows ofsaid brush bristles, a recess in the front surface of the base portionof said brush, said recess having a configuration to receive saidfork-shaped cleaning element, said recess including a plurality ofparallel grooves disposed between and adjacent to said parallel rows ofF. 3 bristles, to receive said prongs of said cleaning element, saidcleaning element when disposed in said recess and said grooves beingsubstantially Hush with the adjacent surfaces of said brush, and meansfor pivoting said cleaning element away from the base portion of saidbrush.

2. A combined hairbrush and brush cleaner comprising a hairbrush havinga base portion and a handle portion, a plurality of spaced parallel rowsof bristles mounted in the base portion of said brush, a fork-shapedcleaning element pivotally mounted on said brush intermediate the endsthereof, said cleaning element having a plurality of spaced parallelprongs and being disposed adjacent the front of the base portion of saidbrush, with said prongs disposed between and parallel to adjacent rowsof said bristles, said prongs having a V-shaped cross section with theapex thereof being disposed in a direction toward said base portion ofsaid brush, a recess in the front surface of the base portion of saidbrush, said recess having a configuration to receive said fork-shapedcleaning element, said recess including a plurality of V- shapedparallel grooves disposed between and adjacent to said parallel rows ofbristles, to receive said prongs of said cleaning element, said cleaningelement when disposed in said recess and said V-shaped grooves of saidbase portion of said brush being flush with the adjacent surfaces ofsaid brush.

3. A combined hairbrush and brush cleaner comprising a hairbrush havinga base portion and a handle portion, .a plurality of spaced parallelrows of bristles mounted in the base portion of said brush, afork-shaped cleaning element pivotally mounted on said brushintermediate the ends thereof, said cleaning element having a forkportion including a plurality of spaced parallel prongs and a handleconnected to said fork portion, said fork portion being disposedadjacent the front of the base portion of said brush with said prongsdisposed between and parallel to adjacent rows of said brush bristlesand the handle of said cleaning element being disposed adjacent the backof said brush handle, a reces-s in the front surface of the base portionof said brush, and having a contiguration to receive the fork portion ofsaid cleaning element, said recess including a plurality of parallelgrooves disposed between and adjacent to said parallel rows of bristles,to receive said prongs of said fork portion, and a groove in the backsurface of said brush handle and having a configura tion to receive thehandle of said cleaning element, said cleaning element when disposed insaid recess of said base portion of said brush and in said groove in thehandle of said brush being substantially flush with the adjacentsurfaces of said brush, said cleaning element being substantiallyco-extensive with said brush.

4. A combined hairbrush and brush cleaner comprising a hairbrush havinga base portion and a handle portion, a plurality of spaced parallel rowsof bristles mounted in the base portion of said brush, a fork-shapedcleaning element pivotally mounted on said brush intermediate the endsthereof, said cleaning element having a fork portion including aplurality of spaced parallel prongs and a handle connected to said forkportion, said cleaning element having an integral pivot pin extendinglaterally of said element between said fork portion and said handle ofsaid cleaning element, and a laterally extending bearing adjacent theinner end of said brush handle for receiving said pivot pin, said forkportion being disposed adjacent the front of the base portion of saidbrush with said prongs disposed between and parallel to adjacent rows ofsaid brush bristles and the handle of said cleaning element beingdisposed adjacent the back of said brush handle, a recess in the frontsurface of the base portion of said brush, and having a configurationt-o receive the fork portion of said cleaning element, and a groove inthe back surface of said brush handle and having a configuration toreceive the handle of said cleaning element.

5. A combined hairbrush and brush cleaner comprising a hairbrush havinga base portion and a handle portion, a plurality .of spaced parallelrows of bristles mounted in the base portion of said brush, afork-shaped cleaning element pivotally mounted on said brushintermediate the ends thereof, said cleaning element having a forkportion including a plurality of spaced parallel prongs and a handleconnected to said fork portion, said fork portion being disposedadjacent the front of the base portion of said brush with said prongsdisposed between and parallel to adjacent rows of said brush bristlesand the handle of said cleaning element being disposed adjacent the backof said brush handle, said prongs of said cleaning element having aV-shaped cross section with the apex thereof being disposed in adirection toward said base of said brush, a plurality of parallelgrooves disposed in said base portion of said brush between and adjacentto said parallel rows of bristles, said parallel grooves being V-shapedand adapted to receive said prongs so that said prongs vare disposedentirely within said grooves, and a groove in the back surface of saidbrush handle and having a configuration to receive the handle of saidcleaning element.

6. A combined hairbrush and brush cleaner comprising a hairbrush havinga base portion and a handle portion, a plurality of spaced parallel rowsof bristles mounted in the base portion of said brush, a fork-shapedcleaning element pivotally mounted on said brush, intermediate the endsthereof, said cleaning element having a fork portion including aplurality of spaced parallel prongs and a handle connected to said forkportion, said fork portion being disposed adjacent the front of the baseportion of said brush with said prongs disposed between and parallel toadjacent rows of said brush bristles and the handle of said cleaningelement being disposed adjacent the back of said brush handle, a recessin the front surface of the base portion of said brush, and having aconfiguration to receive the fork portion of said cleaning element, saidrecess including a plurality of parallel grooves disposed between andadjacent to said parallel rows of bristles, to receive said prongs ofsaid fork portion, and a groove in the back surface of said brush handleand having a configuration to receive the handle of said cleaningelement, said cleaning element when disposed in said recess of said baseportion -of said brush and in said groove in the handle of said brushbeing substantially flush with the adjacent surfaces of said brush, saidcleaning element being substantially co-extensive with said brush, and acavity formed in the end of said brush handle adjacent said groove inthe back surface :of said brush handle, said cavity being o-f -a sizesuflicient for insertion of a finger against the handle of said cleaningelement disposed in said last-mentioned groove.

7. A combined hairbrush and brush cleaner comprising a hairbrush havinga base portion and a handle portion, a plurality of spaced parallel rowsof bristles mounted in the base portion of said brush, a fork-shapedcleaning element pivotally mounted on said brush intermediate the endsthereof, said cleaning element having a fork portion including aplurality of spaced parallel prongs and a handle connected to said forkportion, said cleaning element having an integral pivot pin extendinglaterally of said element between said fork portion and said handle ofsaid cleaning element, and `a =laterally extending bearing adjacent theinner end of said brush handle for receiving said pivot pin, said forkportion being disposed adjacent the front of the base portion of saidbrush with said prongs disposed between and parallel to adjacent rows ofsaid brush bristles and the handle of said cleaning element beingdisposed adjacent the back of said brush handle, a recess in the frontsurface of the base portion of said brush, and having a configuration toreceive the fork portion of said cleaning element, and a groove in theback surface of said brush handle and having a configuration to receivethe handle of said cleaning element, said brush having la shoulderadjacent the pivotal portion of said cleaning element, and said cleaningelement having a stop surface adjacent said pivot pin for engagementwith sdraiati' said shoulder when said cleaning element is pivoted apredetermined distance away from said brush.

8. A combined hairbrush and brush cleaner comprising a hairbrush havinga base portion and a handle portion, a plurality of spaced parallel rowsof bristles mounted in the base portion of said brush, a fork-shapedcleaning ele ment pivotally mounted on said brush intermediate the endsthereof, said cleaning element having a fork portion including aplurality of spaced parallel prongs and a handle connected to said forkportion, said cleaning element having an integral pivot pin extendinglaterally of said element between said fork portion and said handle ofsaid cleaning element, and a laterally extending bearing adjacent theinner end of said brush handle for receiving said pivot pin, said forkportion being disposed adjacent the front of the base portion of saidbrush with said prongs disposed between and parallel to adjacent rows ofsaid brush bristles and the handle of said cleaning element beingdisposed adjacent the back of said brush handle, a recess in the frontsurface of the base portion of said brush, and having a configuration toreceive the fork portion of said cleaning element, the handle portion ofsaid brush having a slot therein extending from the outer end of saidhandle portion to the inner end thereof, a pair of longitudinallyextending grooves in the side walls of said slot, the inner ends of saidgrooves having a semi-circular shape, and an insert received and bondedwithin said slot, said insert having a pair of longitudinally extendinglugs along the lower side edges of said insert, the inner ends of saidlugs having a semi-circular shape, said lugs being received in saidlongitudinally extending grooves of said recess, the semi-circular endsof said longitudinal` grooves and the semi-circular ends of said lugsmating to form a pairof oppositely aligned bearing portions, saidbearing portions forming said laterally extending bearings, said pivotpin of said cleaning element comprising a pair of oppositely aligned pinmembers, said pin members being received in said bearing portions, thehandle of said cleaning element being received in said recess of saidbrush handle adjacent said insert.

9. A combined hairbrush and brush cleaner comprising a hairbrush havinga base portion and a handle portion, a plurality of spaced parallel rowsof bristles mounted in the base portion of said brush, a fork-shapedcleaning element pivotally mounted on said brush intermediate the endsthereof, said cleaning element having a plurality of spaced parallelprongs disposed adjacent the front of the base portion .of said brushwith said prongs disposed between and parallel to adjacent rows of saidbrush bristles, said prongs of said cleaning element having a V-shapedcross section with the apex thereof being disposed in a direction towardsaid base portion of said brush.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS646,845 Lailin Apr. 3, 1900` 1,290,554 Healey Ian. 7, 1919 2,781,739Dick et al Feb. 19, 1957 3,110,053 Surabian Nov. 12, 1963

1. A COMBINED HAIRBRUSH AND BRUSH CLEANER COMPRISING A HAIRBRUSH HAVINGA BASE PORTION AND A HANDLE PORTION, A PLURALITY OF SPACED PARALLEL ROWSOF BRISTLES MOUNTED IN THE BASE PORTION OF SAID BRUSH, A FORK-SHAPEDCLEANING ELEMENT PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID BRUSH INTERMEDIATE THE ENDSTHEREOF, SAID CLEANING ELEMENT HAVING A PLURALITY OF SPACED PARALLELPRONGS AND BEING DISPOSED ADJACENT THE FRONT OF THE BASE PORTION OF SAIDBRUSH WITH SAID PRONGS DISPOSED BETWEEN AND PARALLEL TO ADJACENT ROWS OFSAID BRUSH BRISTLES, A RECESS IN THE FRONT SURFACE OF THE BASE PORTIONOF SAID BRUSH, SAID RECESS HAVING A CONFIGURATION TO RECEIVE SAIDFORK-SHAPED CLEANING ELEMENT, SAID RECESS INCLUDING A PLURALITY OFPARALLEL GROOVES DISPOSED BETWEEN AND ADJACENT TO SAID PARALLEL ROWS OFBRISTLES, TO RECEIVE SAID PRONGS OF SAID CLEANING ELEMENT, SAID CLEANINGELEMENT WHEN DISPOSED IN SAID RECESS AND SAID GROOVES BEINGSUBSTANTIALLY FLUSH WITH THE ADJACENT SURFACES OF SAID BRUSH, AND MEANSFOR PIVOTING SAID CLEANING ELEMENT AWAY FROM THE BASE PORTIN OF SAIDBRUSH.